However, the Kurds who prefer democratization and social development to any power and hegemony struggle are being hindered form taking part in Geneva II as an independent factor. Such an attitude reduces the hope for this conference to take positive steps towards peace and democratization in Syria.


Democracy is commonly interpreted as a system self-rule for communities of all diversities. This is the only way of materializing true democracy. Syria is a land that harbors different ethnic and religious communities. These communities have the right of self-rule as well as establishing a free and democratic life for themselves. Syria has so many different ethnic and religious communities that it can no longer be ruled by a central state authority. The Rojava Revolution has already taken great steps towards a democratic system in which diverse ethnic and religious communities have achieved the capacity of self-rule.


The Kurds are the fourth largest people in the Middle East. They have a population of 45 million in the four parts of Kurdistan. The Kurds demand and struggle for a free and democratic life shared with all other peoples in the region, with the present borders left intact. They have strongly manifested this desire in Rojava. They want to be a strong basis and an integral part of the democratic Syria. With its nearly 3 million population as Syria¹s second largest people, the Kurds have shown their resolve for a peaceful, free and democratic co-existence with other peoples of Syria in their 3 administrative cantons.


The Syrian opposition does not recognize this resolve. Their attitude is no different from that of the Baas regime. They don¹t take seriously the demands of the Kurdish people, just like Turkey¹s attitude which says ³ leave these to last; let¹s determine the new power in Syria first². The Kurds who have not yet been recognized and have been subjected to cultural genocide by regional governments will no longer accept the non-recognition of their rights. Therefore, the Kurds want to take part in the Geneva II conference as an independent and democratic opposition force. With their legitimate democratic demands, their organizations and their political democratic will, the Kurds deserve participation in Geneva II. It is the most natural right of a people, who have hitherto been denied and subjected to cultural genocide, to take part in the Geneva II conference as a democratic force and play role in the democratization of Syria.


However, at a time when all sides are being invited to the conference, the Kurds¹ demand for participation has been overlooked by the countries organizing the conference. They have denied the political will of the Kurds with over a 3 million population and of other peoples who live side by side with the Kurds in Rojava¹s three administrative cantons. Excluding the Kurds from the conference at a time when they can play a powerful and constructive role in the establishment and democratization of new Syria has from beginning rendered the legitimacy of the conference highly questionable.


They lived one century suffering the outcomes of Lozan. Therefore, they will not allow the Geneva II to be another Lozan for them. The Kurds will not recognize any assembly ostracizing them and failing to reflect their rights.

With such irresponsible attitudes of the organizers towards the stability and democratization of Syria, the Kurds neither recognize nor associate themselves in the decisions taken there.


We call on the political powers which organize and invite opposing sides and related countries to the conference to think twice about their decision, ensure the participation of the Kurds and take steps that will strengthen and render legitimate the Geneva II conference.


If they take part as an independent delegation, the Kurds will strengthen the conference; if not, Geneva II will be an inconsistent and irresolute conference whose legitimacy will not be recognized by the Kurds. The exclusion of the most basic democratization force, that is, the Kurds, from a conference on the future of Syria invalidates Syria¹s democratization from the very beginning. Those ostracizing the Kurds will be held responsible for this.